


Gaara's Secret

by MelinyaValerian



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, International Fanworks Day 2016, Sand Siblings-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 21:08:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6024910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelinyaValerian/pseuds/MelinyaValerian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gaara would really, really like his siblings to not find out about his secret night time activities. Unfortunately, it's hard to keep secrets when your siblings are not really heavy sleepers...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gaara's Secret

**Author's Note:**

> My contribution to the International Fanfiction Day 2016 about no one else than the sand siblings and their private little hobbies.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own the three protagonists, if I would... you know. They'd get more screentime.

Sabaku no Gaara had a secret.

Though many citizens of Suna believed otherwise, their young Kazekage, in fact, wasn't a particularly secretive person. It wasn't that he felt the urge to speak about his personal interests, few as they were, with other people; but if somebody asked a question, Gaara made sure to answer it with just the right amount of honesty and politeness, just like his older sister Temari tried to teach him. It wasn't as if he was a good liar, either. Though generally in control of his feelings, he had found out that trying to hide something in front of his siblings was completely futile, so he usually didn't even try.

When it came to this particular matter, though, he made an exception.

One of the things that he never actively talked about, but everybody knew nonetheless, was the fact that Gaara was an insomniac. It was due to the demon that was sealed within him, a creature called the Shukaku, that sleeping was, actually, one of the few things that frightened Gaara. And so, in the last years, he had searched for and found many ways to pass the time normal people spend regaining their energy.

He had started trying to train some more, but since even he needed time to fill up his reserves and had to keep himself actively from just falling asleep after too much exercises, it was discarded shortly afterwards. Then, he had tried to spent the night preparing for upcoming missions. But since he could only spent so much time on sharpening kunai and finding the perfect placement for a pouch of shuriken on his belt, this was by far not enough to last for the whole night. Sometimes, he had just watched the stars and the moon, though it also had grown tiresome quickly.

Finally he had settled for a while with reading. Reading books kept his mind busy, and in that way, he usually learned the one or other interesting fact about the desert or the history of shinobi or just the secrets of preparing “the best ramen you've ever tasted”, as one particularly colourful book had advertised. Being Kazekage had additionally given him the option of keeping up with the paperwork in the night, so for a while, everything had been fine and he had kept himself busy.

But then, one night, the unthinkable had happened: There had been no paperwork (thanks to Temari helping him in the evening), and the history book he had wanted to read (and special ordered) hadn't arrived yet. It was then that he decided to try out something new, something his older brother Kankurou had recommended for sleepless nights: The television.

Gaara didn't really understand the concepts behind the black box with the glassy window. It was a relatively new invention, he believed, maybe four or five years old, powered by a lightning release somehow. He only knew that he had to push a red button, and then, a diversity of things could be seen on the newly illuminated surface. Obviously, if he pushed another button, the channel changed (apparently there were five different channels, one from each major country, as Kankurou had educated him once). And every channel showed something different.

One channel showed ridiculously muscular men in very strange and very colourful fighting gear shouting unintelligible things at each other while simultaneously fighting one on one with something similar to taijutsu, but definitely more flashy. Apparently, it was called “Kumogakure Wrestling Union”, and after about ten minutes of watching it and feeling that it was insulting to his memories of his fight against Rock Lee, who seemed modestly green in comparison, Gaara decided to change the channel.

It didn't last long, he changed the channel again after just five minutes of silently bemoaning the poverty in Iwagakure, because the young girls there obviously hadn't even the money to afford proper clothing that protected against... well... anything. He didn't know how the Tsuchikage could allow for such conditions in his land, but it was late at night and he actually didn't want to think about it right now.

Konohagakure's channel was actually amusing. A man in a fancy red suit presented the audience with a variety of riddles, puzzles and questions, that kept him thinking. Gaara spent about half an hour trying to figure out where the ten differences in the two pictures of the Hokage monument where located exactly, and writing down the positions on a piece of paper, while the man in the red suit made a lot of exclamations and gestures, and always referred to the simplicity of the riddle in a way that made Gaara feel slightly stupid. But it was his first time, so he was still willing to give it a try. Later, questions were asked and he wrote down the correct answers (“Who is the author of Jiraiya-sama's famous novel series “Icha Icha”? A: Jiraiya-sama, B: A rabbit.”). The man in the red suit promised that if he had guessed all the answers correctly he could sent the solutions to Konoha, and, if he was lucky, win a “surprise present”. He wasn't particularly fond of surprises, but maybe Temari and Kankurou were. But as the man in the red suit announced the winner of the last week's broadcast, and began sweating and apologising for it not being Tsunade-sama (again, as it sounded), Gaara decided that he didn't want to compete against the Hokage, and changed the channel again.

He didn't dare to stay on Kirigakure's channel for long. It was the strangest of experiences to him, seeing a number of people saying their ages, occupations and personal hobbies on something that was broadcast world-wide. All of them had a number instead of a name, and all of them asked at the end of the thirty seconds they had for obviously introducing themselves that he should write them according to said number, if he would find himself interested. Maybe it was a very unconventional method of making friends? Was this what normal people did? He thought about this for a while, about if Naruto had made his friends in that way, if Temari and Kankurou knew why people would so willingly put themselves on display? But as the thirty seconds of a woman with long copper-red hair were shown for the fifth time, Gaara just decided to figure it out later, and changed the channel.

That was when he had found Sunagakure's nightly television programme. He hadn't really known what to make of it at first, but then...

It was no broadcast directly out of Suna, rather it seemed to be sent from a town called Tanzaku in the Land of Fire, a town he vaguely remembered Temari mentioning once or twice (which was somehow wondrous all on its own, thinking that Suna didn't send something from the Land of Wind). A group of friends lived there, and the broadcast was centred around two girls called Yuki and Sora. It seemed that Yuki was somehow interested in a boy called Tomoki, and could be seen using all sorts of discreet hints that she wanted to spent time with him. Tomoki, however, seemed to spend an unusual amount of time with Sora, but strangely only when Yuki wasn't around. Then there was also another boy by the name of Jirou, who always tried to win over Yuki's attention, which was completely lost on the latter, which Gaara found somehow strange since it wasn't even lost on him...

He knew he shouldn't be spying on other people's private life like this, but... before he could help it, he was enticed. A part of him argued that it wasn't his fault if these people chose to have their lives displayed on television (a part which strangely sounded a bit like his brother), while another part of him was still embarrassed by the fact that it didn't seem to leave him alone (a part that sounded more like his sister, he had to admit).

And so, Gaara, the youngest Kazekage in the history of Suna, found himself in front of the television every night between 2 am and 5 am watching “Tanzaku Tales”, and had decided that this was something about him he wanted neither Temari nor Kankurou to know. Not ever.

One time, Tomoki and Sora vanished in a broom closet just in the minute Yuki came around a corner, and then, half an episode later, emerged from said closet being fiercely red on their cheeks.  
Another time, Jirou spent a whole night in a tavern, drinking a colourless liquid that obviously affected his ability to speak as well as his ability to keep a steady step, and as he wanted to leave for home, he collapsed on the tavern's counter always saying Yuki's name in his sleep.

Another time, Yuki tried to give Tomoki chocolate on an apparently important day in February, and was somehow disappointed as, two episodes later and obviously in March, she only received a simple bar of white chocolate herself, while Sora hid her white chocolate truffles shyly behind her back.

By that time, Gaara had figured out that the broadcasts weren't happening right in the moment he watched them, it was impossible for twenty-eight days to pass in just a bit more than an hour, and it actually was September right now.

During the last week, though, it seemed as if Yuki and Tomoki became closer friends. Sora was somehow absent, Gaara had figured out that she was supposedly visiting her parents who lived in a very small village up in the mountains. Something within him was really glad for Yuki, and felt bad for Jirou, who spent more time in the tavern than in all the weeks before.

But Yuki and Tomoki seemed to like each other, and the way the girl smiled and laughed in his presence was something Gaara thoroughly enjoyed. It seemed that other people liked to create bonds as well.

It was when Yuki's and Tomoki's faces were slowly nearing each other one night that Gaara was startled by a voice from behind the sofa.

“My goodness, who left the television... Gaara, is that you?”

Something within him instinctively wanted to say “no”, but he didn't lie, and so he meekly said: “Yes.”

What would Temari now think of him? That he couldn't keep his nose out of other people's lives? Would she be disappointed in him? He didn't like it when Temari was disappointed.

“No, no, no... What the hell is Tomoki doing there!”, thundered Temari, and Gaara couldn't move his head as quickly as she was seated next to him, eyes glued to the television. “He's with Sora, that's cheating!”

Gaara managed to stammer a half-loud “Excuse me?” as Temari balled her hands into fists.

“If you're kissing her I'm done with you, traitor!”, she muttered, and Gaara had the impression that she didn't take as much notice of him as he had expected.

He saw Temari's face moving closer to the television just as Tomoki was nearing Yuki, having halfway forgotten himself to be embarrassed because his sister had caught him watching nonsensical television shows.

“You did it! You little arsehole really did it!”, she fumed, and Gaara noticed that Tomoki's face had met Yuki's, and the latter seemed to be beyond herself with happiness. “That's it, I'm through with that shit.”

“But”, Gaara said silently, and only now Temari seemed to notice him and flashed him a slightly surprised look. “They look happy.”

“But he cheated on Sora! And poor Jirou is going to drink himself into a coma when he finds it out!”

“So it is not … good … that they are happy?”

Temari's still fierce look became a bit softer, and she sighed. “Well... yes, I say. Because their happiness is at the expense of others, namely Sora. But how should you know”, she said with a smile. “You probably just zapped through the programmes out of boredom, and now here I am, getting all passionate about a television show.”

He felt blood rushing into his cheeks. So Temari hadn't thought he was a regular spy on the private life of four unknowing Land of Fire citizens. “Well... I...” He cleared his throat, watching Temari's eyebrows rise at his discomfort and feeling a little drop of sweat on his forehead. “Actually I... I have a lot of time in the night, you see.”

“Don't tell me you're a regular?”, Temari said with disbelief in her voice.

He could already see her disappointed eyes in front of him should he say “yes”. “Well... it... it is better than the “Kumogakure Wrestling Union”.”

Much to his surprise, Temari actually burst out laughing. “Alright, so that's what you're doing at night? I told Kankurou you weren't just only doing paperwork.”

“I am finished with it already”, he answered like an obedient child, wondering silently if Temari liked to watch television as well. That said, he hadn't ever seen her use the television himself.

Temari nodded approvingly, and then threw him a slightly devious look that reminded him too much of Kankurou. “So... “Tanzaku Tales”. What a nice surprise! Who are you shipping?”  
“Ship... what? There is no harbour. I believe Tanzaku is located inland”, he said earnestly, and Temari burst out laughing again.

“Sorry, Gaara, my fault. Which relationship are you supporting, that's what I wanted to ask.”

“Relationship?”

“Yes! You could go with Sora and Tomoki, for one. Or Yuki and Jirou, which would be the logical consequence. Or Yuki and Tomoki, I don't know why people ship that, it's so obvious that Yuki's crush isn't healthy and Tomoki is meant to be with Sora. Or you could go with Sora and Jirou, but that's just outlandish. Or, if you're... well, have different preferences, you could also ship Sora with Yuki. Or Jirou with Tomoki, for that matter. Or both. Or...”

Gaara had the slight feeling that if he would listen to Temari much longer, his head would start spinning. He took it that his surprised and confused expression said much more than any word could, because suddenly, Temari stopped in her explications, and sighed again. “I'm beginning to ramble, sorry again. It's just... well, I think I'm a little passionate about that show.”

“I think I support all of what you just listed”, Gaara then stated, after carefully considering all options. It seemed to have been the wrong decision, though, as Temari looked at him as if she had seen a ghost.

“All?! At the same time?”

“Yes”, he said plainly, and Temari's jaw dropped a bit. “They all deserve to be happy. So I encourage every bond between them, every relationship. They are friends, are they not? Just supporting one bond and not the others... seems wrong.”

“Oh I see”, said Temari, snapping her jaw shut and smiling warmly now. “The friendship-shipping. Alright Gaara. I allow that answer.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“Well, you see... Not all of those relationships are strictly platonic, and Sora and Tomoki for example...” Temari shifted a bit closer on the sofa, her voice now sounding like sisterly education, and Gaara was prepared to listen attentively. Obviously, his nightly habit would help him to understand more about bonds!

But Temari didn't come very far in her explanations, in fact they had just covered the fact that Tomoki and Sora were somehow closer than friends, as another voice from the door shot blood into both their faces.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

Temari looked a little mortified, but collected herself quickly. “Kankurou! Awake, that early?”  
“Something woke me up, sounded like someone laughing really loud”, he replied flatly towards Temari and sent her an annoyed, tired stare.

Gaara decided it was time to put out the television, as long as Kankurou was still distracted by entering a staring contest with Temari. He just had to silently grab the remote control that was lying on the side table.

Unfortunately, shinobi usually tended to notice sand moving around in a house, and so, Kankurou's eyes moved from Temari to Gaara, who made a mental note stating that he wouldn't use his sand anymore to grab things out of his reach should he intend to be stealthy. Unfortunately, from Kankurou's perspective, Gaara sat right in front of the screen, where Yuki and Tomoki were touching each other's faces again.

“The hell, Temari”, Kankurou exclaimed. “You introduced him to “Tanzaku Tales”?”

“What? No! I just found him here, watching all on his own.”

Sometimes, Gaara mourned the fact the nobody in their household lied, or even fibbed their way out of things. Temari finding out that he watched television at night was bad enough on its own, though obviously a rather pleasant experience once the first embarrassment had passed. But now, she had just admitted his little secret to the only one who would probably never let him live it down.

“Really?! Wow.” And the way his brother smirked now made Gaara's skin crawl just a little. He didn't quite know what to think, since Kankurou also came over and seated himself next to Temari. “So... what's going on there, huh?”

“Excuse me?”, Gaara found himself saying the second time that night. This time, in unison with Temari.

Kankurou ignored them. “Ah, Yuki and Tomoki get it on. About time.”

“Beg your pardon? He's with Sora!”, Temari said, balling her fists again, now directed towards Kankurou. Gaara gained the impression that neither of them really paid any attention to him anymore. Maybe his secret hadn't been that dangerous, after all. Maybe spying other people's lives was normal? “And he just cheated on her!”

“Sorry to kill your fantasy, but she's been cheating on him. Why's she not there, right now, huh?”

“She is with her parents in the mountains”, Gaara intervened, feeling slightly important because he could contribute something to the discussion.

Temari, meanwhile, flashed Kankurou an angry look.“Sora would never do that! She isn't that kind of girl, she really, really loves Tomoki and...”

“...gets it on with her cousin, who's living in the same village as her parents”, Kankurou said flatly, something a bit sadistic moving across his face. “Sorry, nee-chan. That's the facts.”

“They did not show a scene with Sora and her family yet”, said Gaara, now wondering where Kankurou had his information from.

“Oh no? Well, I guess it was another episode then. Something yet to come.” To green pairs of eyes looked at him, one confused, one indignant. “What? Those are reruns!”

Out of sudden, Temari became silent. “Did you just...”, she said, and Gaara found her voice very chilling and somehow threatening, “... give me spoilers?!”

Something bad must have happened. Kankurou shifted a bit away from Temari, Gaara could see a slight shiver moving through his neck.

“I hope they are all going to be happy”, he said, pointedly loud to catch Temari's attention, earning him a bright grin and outstretched thumbs from Kankurou, as his sister indeed moved her eyes towards him.

“It will spoil the fun of watching it when he tells you”, she said, more softly than before.

“I... do not think we should find it funny … or entertaining... to watch other people's lives”, Gaara replied, noticing himself how hypocritical it sounded from his mouth.

Kankurou caught onto that quickly, and laughed out. “They're getting paid for it, Gaara. Don't worry. And it gets boring when they're all happy, so they're never going to be, or the show would be cancelled.”

“Unfortunately, he's right with that, Gaara”, Temari said with an understanding tone. “You don't need to feel bad about it, though. It's just for entertainment.”

Gaara, however, was more confused then ever. Getting paid for being recorded seemed somehow legit, and it explained why people put their lives on display like that. But not having the right to be happy seemed... it just seemed... not right. People should have the right to be happy! Nobody should sell out their happiness for money! It was, Gaara, had to admit it, a bit disgusting. How could Temari and Kankurou just be so... unemotional about it? Temari, of all people, should understand the importance, wasn't she supporting Sora's happiness with Tomoki?

“They are selling their lives to the television...”, he muttered, and didn't notice that Temari's and Kankurou's chatter about why his brother had once watched the series died down in an instant. “This is not right, they should not... And how can we watch them suffer! We need to make that stop!”

“Stop? What?”, said Kankurou, sounding a bit confused. “Well I guess since you're the Kazekage you could just order the station to play something else in the night programme, but hey, who wants to see the “Kumogakure Wrestling Union” or something like that?”

“No, we need to stop it at the roots! People should not be paid for staying unhappy!”

Temari and Kankurou exchanged an uneasy glance. “Ehm... Gaara... you know that these are actors?”, Temari said carefully. “This isn't real, they're just playing it. For the camera.”

“Of course I know that”, Gaara said quickly, feeling all his blood move to his cheeks. Kankurou and Temari weren't buying it one second, he knew that.

This was exactly why he had wanted to keep his nightly activities to himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Well here you go - Gaara is a closet Soap Opera fan. I just find that idea somehow intriguing... though I, of course, never watched Soap Opera myself *ahem*.  
> This is probably the least serious thing I've ever written, and by far one of the quickest (I just realised in the morning that the IFD is today ...). But I had loads of fun just imagining Gaara being enticed by something like that... and yeah... sorry to every Gaara fan out there for making him endure the mental horror that is nightly television.


End file.
